Can you help me choose a desktop pc?

You should be able to add an SSD to it. The reason for 2 disks is capacity. SSDs are much more expensive, per GB, than regular hard disks. So, you put the OS and some apps on the SSD, and all your data on the regular hard disk.

You shouldn’t need to buy a new OS if all you’re upgrading is the hard disk. If you change your motherboard, forget it.

Purchased my Dell from B&H last summer. Good honest seller.
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1169173-REG/dell_i3847_1696bk_inspiron_3000_g3260_4gb_1tb_windows_10_home.html

This is not the model I purchased. They have lots to chose from.

The asus looks like a very good buy. if you can afford the i5 version it will be way more then enough power for what you need it for!

You can always add an SSD later on it is good to have a SSD and a normal HDD any ways so you will not be wasting any thing!

SSDs cost a lot per gigabyte compared to normal hard drives

The I5 version is the latest generation CPU and uses the latest generation Intel graphics processor so you get that as an added bonus!

If you search for the model CPU it self alone cost $189 the ram is about $40 the hard drive is $55 DVD burner $20 the case and power supply i am not sure how many watts the power supply is so i will guess around 400-450 watts so that is about $50 and you get a keyboard and mouse say maybe $30 so the total is $384 so it works out similar to how much you would spend!

Adding a SSD never hurts, if you want to buy a new PC later you can use it in that.
When you have the install media and key no problems are expected. (Just disconnect your harddrive before install, plug it in after and select the SSD as primary bootdevice in the BIOS. Cool thing is that all your documents are immediately back in that case but still have that backup!)

When your PC works now and does what you want it to do fast enough just reinstall windows for the same preformace you had when you first bought it

Need more speed, start by getting a SSD.

Still not satisfied? Buy a i5 8(or 16GB) ram, 1tb hd , computer and put the SSD in and you will have a fast PC for your uses.

I wonder how much will end up going to then next computer, in theory i could use the SSD, case and power supply. The case has a busted USB port that the company won’t respond to to get fixed, i assume the SSD will double or more in speed and the power supply will be 5 years old, how much more life will it have left?

For cost i think the OP should buy an entire pc with windows, it will be cheaper and meet his needs. Upgrade to SSD is probably a good idea, but future proofing seems unlikely.

Matt, always have a backup for data and use it, one data loss will eat days or weeks of work for recovery if your lucky, if your unlucky it can cost you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

If you have a little time to look around and wait for a deal, I found/bought at Cowboom, Dell XPS 8700 , i5-3.2GHz, 12GB ram and 1TB HD for $349 (used), but very good condition. I later added 500GB EVo SSD. I am very happy with performance.

Although there are truly several things to consider, as you can see with all the varied responses here, the single biggest performance boost you can get from ANY computer is to change from HDD to SSD for the OS and applications. User files can be kept on the larger, though much slower, HDD. It has been true for over a decade at least, that the HDD is the single bottleneck of any modern computer. It is the slowest part (except the CD drive, but it’s not used for normal operation).

How about a low end Mac Mini?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00746X7G2?creativeASIN=B00746X7G2&linkCode=w01&linkId=OS22HYKVFTCEC36X&ref\_=as_sl_pc_ss_til&tag=reality

+1.

Join SlickDeals and add a Deals Alert for DELL. Then sit back and wait for the best deal possible.

Or possibly an Intel NUC.

See if this PC will run a Q6600 processor— you can usually root around online or look on the motherboard for board number—I found this CPU for $20 ebay—it will smoke that 745— then add a SSD drive—they sometimes come with cloning software— do a clean install (best way to go)using your key code windows 7 install files are easy to come by—using a second drive is really essential especially with SSD main drive—you put all your storage on a standard drive—-

someone had given me an old Q6600, i ended up tossing it (or did i give it away, i don’t remember)

Check out www.techbargains.com for daily crazy deals or www.cowboom.com has daily refurb items fro super cheap. Newegg has a Crucial 500gb SSD for $134.99 right now.

The days are long gone when the speed of a processor can be judged just by knowing the model # There are now thousands of different iterations of processors/ The only way to know how each one will benchmark is to refer to this exhaustive list.

Considering a certain system? Check the cpu from that list and know what you are getting for speed. For example, the Q6600 quad core that chops728 scored for $20 on ebay benchmarks at 2900. That chip is unavailable on Newegg, but was $176
Your original core duo probably is less than 1000.
The system I suggested above with a core i5 2400 benches at 5836.

It is time to get your priorities straight here. Your say your budget is $400. Spend $199 for the system, another $60 for a 240G SSD, $15 for a USB 3.0 card and you are all set. You will have a plug and play system all set up with a legitimate copy of Windows 7 that Microsoft will let you upgrade to 10 if you wish, and MOST IMPORTANTLY,

You will have lots of bucks leftover to spend on flashlights. :wink:

LOL!

I like this website because you can pick two CPUs and it will compare them for you
http://www.cpu-world.com/index.html

You can add a SATA III SSD to your system as SATA III is backwards compatible. Should be the white/black connector next to the heat sink/Dell logo http://www.stuartconnections.com/9068-thickbox/Dell-Optiplex-745-MiniTower-System-Motherboard-Socket-775-HR330.jpg you’ll need to buy a SATA cable too.

Bort, I never came across your site.
What I like about the one I mentioned is that it lists all variations of each cpu.
For instance, there are over 200 types of Intel core i5’s and they benchmark between about 1200 and 8000.
That is a huge difference, it is of utmost importance to know exactly which i5 you are getting and what speed it will bench at. That list will tell you.
This is also true for every other cpu, whether AMD or Intel

Remember when all you needed to know was 286 or 386 and the clock speed?

I forget how i came across it. Ironically the new i5 is only 10-20% better then my i4670, not even worth it IMO

Yup 386 DX 20, then Pentium 75

dc,

That is a great list. I have been using a similar one off wiki

But the one you linked is much better.

You were also darn close about my old processor. Its a Pentium D 3.4GHz. Looks like it benches at 745.

I wouldn’t upgrade a 745. We just got rid of all of our 745s, 755s, and 960s. We’re currently using 7020s. Yeah, Dell’s Optiplex numbering system is f’d.